AirPods Max 2 vs Evolve2 30 SE Comparison

Compare AirPods Max 2 vs Evolve2 30 SE side by side: specs, ratings, pros and cons, and which one fits your room best.

On this page
Apple AirPods Max 2
AirPods Max 2
Editor's pick
Jabra Evolve2 30 SE
Evolve2 30 SE

At a Glance

AirPods Max 2

The AirPods Max 2 are Apple's current over-ear headphones. They use an Apple-designed dynamic driver, an H2 chip in each ear cup, and nine microphones: eight for noise cancelling and three for voice, with two shared.

View on Apple (opens in a new tab)
Best For
iPhone and Mac users
Style
Over-ear
Weight
386.2 g
ANC
Active Noise Cancellation, Adaptive Audio
Mics
9
Boom Mic
No
Talk Time
20 h
Connect
Bluetooth, USB-C audio
Certified
—
Evolve2 30 SE

The Jabra Evolve2 30 SE is a wired USB headset for desk work. It has 28 mm speakers, two microphones (one analog MEMS and one analog ECM), a boom arm and a busylight.

View on Jabra (opens in a new tab)
Best For
Desk workers
Style
On-ear headband (stereo or mono)
Weight
125 g
ANC
None
Mics
2 (1 analog MEMS + 1 analog ECM)
Boom Mic
Yes (boom arm)
Talk Time
—
Connect
Wired USB-A or USB-C (USB-C/A SKUs)
Certified
Microsoft Teams (variant), Alcatel-Lucent, Avaya, Cisco, Unify, Mitel, Citrix

Review Scores Compared

Expert Score

  • AirPods Max 27.1/10
  • Evolve2 30 SE8.8/10 Leads

Voice & Mic Clarity

  • AirPods Max 26.3/10
  • Evolve2 30 SE7.8/10 Leads

Comfort & Ergonomics

  • AirPods Max 27.2/10
  • Evolve2 30 SE9.7/10 Leads

Connectivity & Range

  • AirPods Max 28.6/10
  • Evolve2 30 SE—

Battery & Charging

  • AirPods Max 27.0/10
  • Evolve2 30 SE—

Certification & Controls

  • AirPods Max 2—
  • Evolve2 30 SE9.3/10

Why AirPods Max 2 Beats Evolve2 30 SE (and Vice Versa)

Why AirPods Max 2 beats Evolve2 30 SE

  • Materials: Anodized aluminum ear cups, stainless steel frame, knit mesh… vs Leatherette, PC and PC/ABS plastic, stainless steel
  • Microphones: 9 vs 2 (1 analog MEMS + 1 analog ECM)
  • Connection: Bluetooth, USB-C audio vs Wired USB-A or USB-C (USB-C/A SKUs)

Why Evolve2 30 SE beats AirPods Max 2

  • Better comfort & ergonomics: 9.7 vs 7.2 out of 10
  • Better voice & mic clarity: 7.8 vs 6.3 out of 10
  • Weight: 125 g vs 386.2 g
  • Boom Mic: Yes (boom arm) vs No

Review-score leads of 0.5+ points out of 10 first, then specs where only one comes out ahead.

Full Specifications

General

AirPods Max 2Evolve2 30 SE
Best ForiPhone and Mac usersDesk workers
Wearing StyleOver-earOn-ear headband (stereo or mono)
Variants—Stereo, Mono; USB-A, USB-C, USB-C/A; MS and UC

Design & Build

AirPods Max 2Evolve2 30 SE
Weight386.2 g125 g Better
MaterialsAnodized aluminum ear cups, stainless steel frame, knit mesh canopy BetterLeatherette, PC and PC/ABS plastic, stainless steel
Ear CushionsMemory foam with mesh textileLeatherette
ColorsMidnight, Starlight, Blue, Purple, Orange—
HeadbandKnit mesh canopy, telescoping stainless steel arms—
Ear Cup RotationEach cup rotates independently—
Dimensions—179 x 136 x 54 mm (stereo)

Audio

AirPods Max 2Evolve2 30 SE
Driver Size—28 mm
Frequency Response—20 Hz - 20 kHz (music); 100 Hz - 12 kHz (speak)
Driver TypeApple-designed dynamic driver—
Sensitivity—115 dB @ 1 mW / 1 kHz
Spatial AudioPersonalized Spatial Audio with dynamic head tracking—
Custom EQAdaptive EQ—
Wired ListeningYes (USB-C lossless and ultra-low-latency audio)—
Stereo / MonoStereoStereo or mono (variants)
Speaker Bandwidth (Calls)—100 Hz - 12 kHz (speak mode)
Hearing Protection—Jabra SafeTone 2.0

Noise Cancelling

AirPods Max 2Evolve2 30 SE
Noise CancellingActive Noise Cancellation, Adaptive AudioNone
Active Noise CancellingYes—
Transparency ModeYes (Transparency mode, Conversation Awareness)—
Adaptive ANCYes (Adaptive Audio)—

Microphone

AirPods Max 2Evolve2 30 SE
Microphones9 Better2 (1 analog MEMS + 1 analog ECM)
Microphone Setup6 outward-facing (ANC), 2 inward-facing; Voice Isolation1 analog MEMS and 1 analog ECM
Call Noise ReductionVoice Isolation—
Boom MicNoYes (boom arm) Better
Busylight—Yes
Open Office Certified—Yes

Battery & Charging

AirPods Max 2Evolve2 30 SE
Talk Time20 h—
Fast ChargingYes (5 min = about 1.5 h)—
Music Time20 h—
Charging PortUSB-C (lossless and ultra-low-latency audio)—

Connectivity

AirPods Max 2Evolve2 30 SE
ConnectionBluetooth, USB-C audio BetterWired USB-A or USB-C (USB-C/A SKUs)
Bluetooth Version5.3—
Certifications—Microsoft Teams (variant), Alcatel-Lucent, Avaya, Cisco, Unify, Mitel, Citrix
USB AudioYes—
Cable Length—1.5 m

Controls & App

AirPods Max 2Evolve2 30 SE
ControlsDigital Crown, listening mode buttonCall control unit
Management Software—Jabra Direct, Jabra Xpress
Wear DetectionOptical and position sensors—
Voice AssistantSiri—
Teams / Call Button—Yes (Microsoft Teams notifications on LED)
IT Remote Management—Jabra Xpress

In the Box

AirPods Max 2Evolve2 30 SE
In the BoxAirPods Max 2, Smart Case, USB-C charge cableHeadset, protective bag, user documents
Warranty—2 years
Carry CaseYes (Smart Case)Yes (felt pouch)

Takeaways

  • Our pick: Evolve2 30 SE, with the highest spec-based rating (4.5/5).
  • Choose AirPods Max 2 for iPhone and Mac users.
  • Choose Evolve2 30 SE for desk workers.

Pros and Cons

AirPods Max 2

PROS

  • Nine microphones with Voice Isolation
  • Adaptive Audio and Conversation Awareness
  • Lossless, low-latency audio over USB-C
  • Five colours, Smart Case included

CONS

  • Heaviest in this group at 386.2 g
  • Shortest battery here at 20 h

Evolve2 30 SE

PROS

  • Light at 125 g (stereo)
  • Boom arm and busylight
  • USB-A, USB-C or USB-C/A variants
  • Teams version available

CONS

  • No ANC
  • Wired only

Similar Comparisons

Quick Verdict

  • AirPods Max 2 7.1No outright category lead
  • Evolve2 30 SE 8.8Best overallLeads in Voice & Mic Clarity, Comfort & Ergonomics